MEN'S BASKETBALL: IT'S NOT WHERE YOU START....

MOUNTAIN LIONS OVERCOME EARLY DEFICIT TO CLIP GOLDEN EAGLES

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Concord's Men's Basketball team has made a habit of falling behind early in its games this season, and then rallying.

It might not be the most efficient method, but lately, the Mountain Lions can't complain about the results.

CU spotted the University of Charleston an early 20-4 lead, but finished strongly to knock off the Golden Eagles 87-82 in a WVIAC contest Saturday afternoon at the Carter Center.

It was Concord's sixth straight victory and it lifted CU to 6-4, 3-3. Charleston, still getting familiar with new head coach Mark Downey's system, fell to 3-6, 1-4.

The Golden Eagles made nine of their first 11 field goals in bolting out to their early 16-point lead. Concord missed on its first nine shots, but found its bearings and pulled to within 45-38 at halftime.

Charleston moved ahead by ten points, 48-38, on Marcus Knott's three point play just 46 seconds after halftime. But then Concord embarked on a 13-3 run – getting seven points from Gentry Shrewsbury and six from Javaughn Acree-Manuel – to level the score at 51-51 with 16:09 remaining in regulation.

From there, the game was on.

Charleston would take a narrow lead, and held a 75-70 advantage with 3:28 left. Concord came back with seven straight points – on a layup by Acree-Manuel, a three-point play by Shrewsbury and two free throws from Cory Willard – to lead 77-75 with 2:40 to go.

UC's Brandon Ross evened the game with a jumper at the 2:09 mark, but Acree-Manuel put Concord ahead for good with a jumper :17 later. UC's Jon Liggins missed a three point shot, and Shrewsbury drilled a driving layup to extend the Mountain Lions' lead to 81-77 with :52 remaining.

Liggins answered with a three point play to cut the margin to one, 81-80, with :38 left. But CU's Jerontae Hunter kept the Eagles at bay with a pair of free throws with :20 left, and after Knott missed the front end of the bonus on UC's next trip, two more free throws with :17 (above right) to go that stretched the lead to 85-80.

Marco Richardson's layup with :06 showing got UC within 85-82, but Acree-Manuel slammed the door shut with a pair of free throws two seconds later.

The visitors shot well, finishing at .517 (30-58) from the field. Concord shot .556 (15-27) in the 2nd half and .481 (25-52) for the game.

Charles

ton had a sizable 36-26 rebound advantage, but Concord owned the free throw line. The Mountain Lions finished 32-39 (.821) from the line, 17-21 in the 2nd half. UC was 15-22 (.682) for the game.

Acree-Manuel -- the WVIAC's leading scorer -- paced Concord with 20 points, 15 in the 2nd half. Shrewsbury added 16 points, going 6-7 from the field, and five rebounds.
Corey Neeley and Aaron Fluellen gave CU a much-needed spark off the bench. Neeley finished with 14 points, 12 in the 1st half as the Mountain Lions struggled. Fluellen chipped in 10 points, five in each half, and was 4-4 from the floor.

Charleston's Liggins led all scorers with 22 points, 17 in the 1st half. Ross added 18, James Eversley 16 and John White 11.

BOXSCORE

Up next for Concord is a four-week break for final exams and the holidays. The Mountain Lions return to the court on Saturday, January 8, visiting WVIAC rival Fairmont State for a 4:00 pm tipoff.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 102.3 FM The Ticket (WMTD, Hinton/Princeton/Beckley), following the completion of the CU-FSU women's game, which begins at 2:00 pm. A link to The Ticket's online audio webcast can be found on the Men's Basketball homepage at www.cumountainlions.com.

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